Great Day today!

[Lee]

Wow - looks and sounds fantastic! How lucky you are to be making a living doing what you love!!!!!!

[Stitch Up]

Not sure he said he was making a living. This is a very tough market and the added costs of visiting and setting up at shows all has to be factored into the selling price of your items. To low and you're a busy fool, to high and you're likely to loose money, the art is to pitch it just right.

[Lee]

To be doing season after season must mean theres something in it....

[Squadron Prints]

Well I am back and shattered - weather this weekend past wasn't brilliant but ok! Costs are up all over the world and I must say that we are in a specialist market. Airshows are still going but I think next year will see a number of them disappear and the dates will all change because of the Olympics! Takings were down because of the weather at both places - Waddington was too hot for people to walk about and carry stuff and the Air Tattoo was wet wet wet on the Saturday and Sunday! The 2 set up/arrival days were very good and the departure day was also very good as the weather was much better! We do make a living out of this but mugs are only a small piece of the jigsaw - our artwork is the main part of our business! I picked up several orders too so need to start emptying the van now and get back to work!

[Lee]

Sounds like you had a good time overall though And what good fun to be able to do these shows that you love and get something from it It makes it all worthwhile if you enjoy what you do

[Stitch Up]

I agree, to make money doing something we enjoy is great BUT, I think we all are afraid to admit that more often than not, we're not making any money at all! Or at best, we might break even.

Take me/us for example. We've invested heavily in equipment, very heavily. Are we making money? No. Are we breaking even? No. However, I knew this would be the case while we're both working full time. It's simply not possible to make money or a return on our investment in the evenings & weekends. How many of you find yourself in the same situation? Be honest

I'm not disappointed because it was planned this way. While we're both engaged in gainful employment, we're building up the equipment something it would be difficult to do when mainstream income stops.

[Lee]

Definately the same here, I've not sold anywhere like the amount I thought I would, but then again I have all these plans in my head and no time to implement them....! That said I've found doing it this way, at night, whilst working full time, has allowed me to make mistakes that I have otherwise wouldn't have afforded to do...... I do have a grand plan though (famous last words????), hopefully in the next 12 months I'd like to be in my own space somewhere doing this and at least earning a wage...oh, and be happy of course!!!

[mgibbs]

My computer business funded all of my equipment and stock.

I got into sublimation as an interest rather than a profit making venture and while sales are slowly taking off, now that I've found a niche market, it'll be a while before I get my investment back.

So I don't see that this would ever give me a realisitic living but that doesn't bother me as I still get satisfaction from it all.

Mark

[Squadron Prints]

I agree, to make money doing something we enjoy is great BUT, I think we all are afraid to admit that more often than not, we're not making any money at all! Or at best, we might break even.

I am happy to say we get a monthly salary and make a profit but mugs are not our only product - our artwork and photography are our most important products.